training questions

[JacqueZ]

I'd suggest two things, one is to download some sounds of cars from the internet (or record them yourself), and play them over and over so she disassociate the sound of a car with the movement so won't be looking out for cars when she hears them.

This sounds like great advice! Honey likes to race cars along the fence line, she lines herself up when she hears them.

As for those comfort harnesses, we had one for Honey and she loathed it, she would run from it, so if you continue to have problems you might want to try another brand.

With Honey to keep her in the practice of minding us, I make her wait for me to enter or exit a door before she can follow, and once your pup has a good stay down, you can make her wait for your signal to exit...I've found those exercises and making Honey sit calmly before she gets food to really help with her paying attention to me when I give her commands, or need her attention.

It's something you can keep going back to as well, Honey's four and I still make her do it periodically.

 

[Silaria]

I think the best thing to do for the puppy is to take her to obedience classes, trying to get the opinions of dozens of people on an online forum can be a recipe for disaster. it is costly but you get what you pay for and in the long run you do it because you want to have a happy relationship with your dog.

THIS!

Classes, especially puppy classes, are great opportunities for you to learn how to work with your pup, your pup to work with you, begin to build a relationship, AND to work with you around other dogs and distractions.

Make sure the place you take Chloe uses positive reinforcement techniques, not dominance theory techniques. Dominance techniques can actually have the opposite impact on a Sheltie and cause them to shut down and withdraw. Positive techniques are reward based training; clicker training is one example of this sort of training.

It is definitely worth the time and expense.